The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-10
DAVIS EVENTFUL LIFE.
SOME OF ITS STIRRING INCIDENTS
RECALLED.

Attempts OF Jne reueral government
To Secure the Confederate Presi-
dents Assassination-Mr. Garrett's
Success in Obtaining His Release
from Prison-Not a .Disunionist-His
Estimates of His Generals.
BALTIMORE, June 9.-The american
Herald of this city will publish tomorrow
a six column contribution giving an ac-
connt of recent important interviews with
Jefferson Davis. In these interviews Mr..
Davis, among other things, charges that the
Federal government conspired during the
late war to have him assassinated. On this
subject Mr.. Davis said:
while the Confederate government was at
Montgomery, Ala, in 1861, received an anony-
mons letter from Philadelphia, the substance of
which was that the Governor of Pennsylvania
had released noted desperate from the peni-
tentiary upon condition that he would go to
Montgomery and aSsaSsinate me, with a promise
If a reward of 100000 if he succeeded; that
after his release the man stated that he could
not probably succeed alone and gave the name
Of another convict of character like his own
with whose assistance he felt sure Of success
and that the second convict was released TO ac-
ronpany the first. About the time this letter
was received was going from my office to my
residence observed a man Squatting down on
nick walk, which was about three feet high and
upon which the paling of the yard rested.
STRANGE DIsAppEARANoK.
Walking rapidly l had gone but few steps
before the position of this man SO impressed
me as TO induce me to go and look after him
Then walking back toward the corner of the
fence behind which he was crouchng saw him
looking over the wall toward the gate through
which was expected to enter but as reached
the corner he jumped up and ran toward the
rear of the lot upon which my residence Stood
where there was an alley. l followed him rap
illy but when had reached the alley he had
disappeared The only way in which he could
have escaped appeared to be through the gate
which led into my stable. Thither l went and
found my servant in the loft throwing
down hay, who, upon inquiry, denied that
had reared in whom, as l afterwards learned,
had misplaced confidence. Accepting his stat6-
ment as true, and making fruitless searM
elsewhere. the hunt was abandoned, but the
warning received was not forgotten. COmmiS-
sary General Col. NOrthrOp, my fri end and old
army comrade, SO on thereafter went with me by
rail to Richmond and was on the alert during the
whole trip for the reappearance OF the assassin,
| sent the anonymous letter referred to to Hon.
William b. Reed, of Philadelphia, asking him to
make such inquiry as would verify or disprove
its allegations If he ever replied do not know
as communications were closed soon after that
FIRED ON NEAR RICHMOND.
While in Richmond it was my habit to ride
works we were constructing around the capi
tai On one occasion, accompanied by my aide,
Colonel William Preston Johnston, had ridden
across ellis creek and was going up the hill
when rife ball whizzed Just behind me and in
front of Col Johnston, who was riding by my
side, little in the rear. Warning him to seem
as if nothing had occurred, we rode rapidly
around an unoccupied house, from which it was
thought the shot must have been
fired, and from which we could see
distinctly the ground over which any one must
have fled if after firing he had taken to fight,
No one was visible, After returning to the city in
the evening, Col. Johnston went to the provost
marshal, who sent out some men more SlHillful
than We had been to make a further search in
the houses. They found i'll the upper story some
pankS cut out of the floor so that they could be
removed, and underneath that found man with
rifle, who gave lame account OF himself as
hiding there to avoid conscription. His story
of being employed at a bakery IN the city was
tound to be, upon inquiry, untounded.
GOLD FOR HIS RESCUE.
That morning was notified that man with
liberal retainer in gold had employed law
yer TO sue out writ Of habeaS corpus. Aware
that though circumstantial evidence might pro
duce moral conviction, that be would probably
he discharged in compliance with the writ, and
that as the man was of strong and physical
vigOr for a soldier, | directed him to be sent to
Gen. Lee at Petersburg, with an explanatory
note and hope that he would be put in the front
line to stop a ball intended for a better man
ot larger Importance engrosSing the attention
OF Gen. Lee, as well as of myself
On another occasion, while returning
from an afternoon ride with my aide, Col. Joe
K. Davis, just as we entered the suburbs of
Richmond shot was fired from behind high
garden wall at very close range, but without
elect. Nerode up to the wall, by rising III our
slirrupS looked over into garden, but no per
son could be seen. 1t was twilight and the
shrlbbeiy afforded some means of concealment
and escape.
AN ATTEMPT TO WRECK TRAIN.
There were many reasons before the Dahl
gren raid for believing that efforts inconsiSt-
ent with the rules of war as practiced by civil
EAtion were made to secure assassination, espe-
cIally OF the President, and To acquire intor-
nation by spies, resident and transitory,
Shu That large rewards were Of
Tered for such services, including arson
snu murder. On Que occasion when / was
hlown TO be travelling on a railroad to the army,
Miormation was brought by lady who had
overheard a conversation in a barn, that OBJ
sIfuctlons were to be placed on the track, and
tAe information was verified by a detachment
9Srht who found the Instructions and some
United states soldiers secTeted in a barn near TO
the place where the train was expected TO be
wrecked.
NEVER A DISUNIONIST.
Mr. Davis gives his motives and political
Status in 1861, and claims that he never was
sdsunionist, but that the Northern Senators
uSN az illilJ Ultlle every DIOIbolblOil Olltty
PROMISED pacification He refers to b. f.
hUtier voting for him fifty-seven times at
1Aarleston, 5. C., in 1860 as the candidate Of
5I Ile Democratic party for President 20 prevent
uSullon, and declares that he did not desire
" oe President of the Confedclacy but to
Nihe prompt, and, as he thought, adequate
means to prevent it. After his election and
naaSuration at Montgomery all his
eeiloitS were directed toward securing for
the seeding States peaceful separation,
tnou5h he never thought Of going back
al tle Union to escape the last
;;es2rt to the arbitrament of arms. Mr.. Davis
nel0quent IN his praise of Gems Albert Sid
icy johnston, Lee, jackson and A. 7. Hill
tIc s9ys A. ). Johnston had no peer on eth
Noe during the war, if he ever had in
ttilefican history, and his loss to the Con
LU~raey was irreparable. Gen. Lee was
IiS associate and friend at West Point with
Vpoladas Polk and Jas. b. Magruder, and
Ween them.
THE SEVEN DAYS BATTLES.
,-Speaking Of the seven days battles
co,,ud S,"und iGchmond, Mr. Davis says Gen. Lee
fmcelVed fD,S and executed desperate plan to
as,,l s, Uhe Hank and rear of Gen. McClellans
ia,auy end added that his failure to annihi-
fa0, e .ne Federal army was due chiefly TO the
b,, ihat ten. Lee had no maps of the coun-
peiow Richmond, and that his army
v,,iJ ieu IN ignorance Of the country and with
sei,.'eS VINO, for the most part, proved them
Ie,'s' utterly inefficient. He says that Gen
m - opLJect in the retreat from Petersburg
VI we last dav nf tha t,,a, ,n,,e tf ranch Dam